Photo: Collected

SANGSAD BHABAN, April 21, 2026 (BSS) -Minister for Posts, Telecommunications 
and Information Technology Faqir Mahbub Anam today said in Jatiya Sangsad 
that the government would take initiatives, in consultation with all 
stakeholders, to make the validity of unused mobile data unlimited.

The Minister said this while replying to a scripted question from opposition 
member Md. Abdul Alim (Jamaat-e-Islami) of Bagerhat-4 in the House today.

He informed that around 11.35 crore mobile internet subscribers in the 
country have diverse usage patterns and demands. "Accordingly, operators 
design their packages to match these varying needs," he said.

He said the issue of unused mobile data expiring after the validity period 
has come to the government's attention, and steps are being actively taken to 
address the problem in order to protect consumer interests.

The minister noted that due to high installation and operational costs, 
mobile internet services are offered in small, validity-based packages to 
keep them affordable for the general public. 

"This allows users to choose services according to their needs," he said 
adding that both volume and validity play important roles in pricing. 

The Minister said the validity of mobile data is not merely a business 
decision; it also involves technical, economic and network management 
considerations. "In most countries around the world, mobile internet packages 
are validity-based," he said.

He further said that under Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission 
(BTRC) guidelines, unused data can be carried forward if the same data 
package is repurchased or auto-renewed before expiry, ensuring that customers 
do not lose their paid data. 

In addition, operators offer long (up to 10 years) data packages, which 
effectively function as near-unlimited validity options.

The minister also informed that the state-owned mobile operator Teletalk 
Bangladesh Limited has already introduced three internet data packages with 
unlimited validity, under which data remains valid until the allocated volume 
is fully consumed.